Residents Cry 'Foul' Over Stadium Development Consultation

Originally less than a week's notice was given to respond to revised proposals

Hounslow Council have decided to extend the consultation period for the latest set of proposals for the major residential development associated with Brentford Football Stadium. The scheme includes tower blocks of up to 16 storeys.

The move comes after a number of complaints from residents that poor publicity for the new planning application (Planning reference 00703/A/P13) has meant that many people affected were unaware it had been submitted and that the time given was totally inadequate given the size and complexity of the scheme.

Hounslow Council say that they have experienced some difficulties in the consultation being carried out for this application and that there was an error in the date given as the due date for any submissions. Originally people were told that they had to respond by 31 August in letters they received on 24 August. Reportedly key local groups like the Strand on the Green Residents' Association were not informed at all.

A Council planning officer in an email to a local resident admitted that the scale of the consultation which involved contacting 14,000 addresses had proven a difficult task for the existing software operated by the Council and had taken a considerable amount of time due to the physical capacity of available printers. They now need to correct and resend any letters with errors and are extending the consultation period by 21 days. The developer has been accused by some local residents of deliberately timing the submission of the application for the Summer holidays to minimise the number of responses received.

The project was given outline planning permission at the beginning of last year. The latest application relates to more detailed specifications for the first phase of the development comprising 648 of the 910 flats to be built at the site. It includes the design of the buildings and the look and feel of the surrounding area. The developer says that the 'slight' changes in the design are 'allowing for reaction to market demand and housing needs over the delivery period of the scheme'. Recent property sales of flats in the TW8 area are suggesting that prices are continuing to rise.

Overview of completed development at Lionel Road South

Lionel Road development site as it is at the moment

The new proposals show a reduction in the communal amenity space within the project area from the 5,595sqm specified at the outline stage to 4,872sqm in the latest plans. The developer claims that this is due to 'a range of qualitative improvements' include the provision of a transparent residential lobby to the frontage of one of the buildings.

There appears to be no mention of affordable housing in the latest application. At the time of outline planning permission it was determined that the amount of affordable housing would depend on the profits generated by the scheme.

The first phase will comprise three sites, the Central Southern site which will be to the north of Kew Bridge Station, the Capital Court site which will be on Capital Interchange Way and the Central Eastern site which will be at the north end of the site toward Chiswick Roundabout.

Capital Court site on Capital Interchange Way

During the second phase of construction, 262 units will be delivered on the 'Duffy site' which is further down Lionel Road South. A large hotel is planned for the Central Western site close to this location.

The new design sees the introduction of commercial units and residential receptions along Capital Interchange Way

A combination of natural metal finishes, coloured metal panels and glass are proposed for the exterior of the buildings. These colours are meant to reflect the colours and tones represented in the surrounding area. Two predominant cladding colours are proposed. A dark earth colour and a lighter brown/cream tone colour which have been chosen the reflect local brick stocks and complement each other.

Kew Bridge Station with Central Southern blocks towering above

The development as viewed from Gunnersbury Park

The development as viewed from Kew Bridge

September 1, 2015